For the second straight night Rafael Nadal found himself in a fight, this one was with the man who eliminated him from his last hard court event at the Australian Open, Marin Cilic.

The two squared off in the Canadian Open Toronto quarterfinals and it was Cilic racing out to a blistering 5-1 lead behind nearly impeccable play. But the Croat couldn’t sustain it and Rafa got his teeth in the match and took the second despite losing a late break and Cilic failing to level for 5-all.

In the third, both settled down until Nadal broke Cilic for the 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory.

“The way that he played in that first set was unstoppable,” Nadal said. “So I resisted him. I play with the right tactics. I tried to find my solutions, but it was so difficult. The dynamic was very bad for me and unbelievable good for him. So I know that the beginning of the second set would be decisive.

“And then at 2-1, I had that break where he missed couple of balls and was the first time in the match that he made some mistakes. Maybe that was a key moment. And of course that last game of the second set that he was up 40/15, and he made two mistakes. So yeah.”

The 3-time champion will now meet Karen Khachanov in the Saturday night semifinal. He leads the Russian 3-0.

“It means a lot to me to be in the semi-finals,” said Nadal. “It’s because it was a very important match for me. Being in the semi-finals is great news at the start of the hard court season. And winning three good matches in the first Masters 1000 is so important for me.”

Khachanov had no trouble at all ousting last year’s surprise semifinalist Robin Haase 6-3, 6-1 to reach his first career Masters semifinal.

“I’m happy with this performance that I could reach my first semi-final,” the 22-year-old Khachanov said. “But I don’t want to be satisfied because there is always something that you can do better. So that’s why I’m focusing already on the next match.”

Earlier in the day, Kevin Anderson made his second career Masters semi hammering Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-2.

“It was definitely a great match today,” said Anderson who was 1-6 against the Bulgarian at the start of the day. “I felt I played really well right from the beginning. I think I played some really good tennis in the last couple of matches, just not from the start.

“I felt I was in a really good frame of mind, playing the kind of tennis that I knew I wanted to be playing and needed to be playing.”

And in the surprise of the day, defending champion Alexander Zverev looked in total control leading teen Stefanos Tsitsipas up 6-3, 5-2. But Zverev completely fell apart, squandered two match points in the ensuing breaker. And he promptly smashed a racquet.

Then in the third, after failing to hold a break lead, Zverev was serving 4-5, 30-15 to stay in it, when failed to challenge an out forehand that was in and would have given him 40-15. Instead it was 30-all, and he gagged a volley, then down match point he double faulted giving Tsitsipas the 3-6, 7-6(11), 6-4 victory.

“I don’t think he played that well. I think the match was absolutely pathetic on all levels,” Zverev said. “I’m very honest with you guys. Today was an absolute pathetic match I don’t even think he played well.

“I mean, I was up 6-3, 5-3, serving for the match. So it should have been a three and three match, and then I would have been [in press] about one-and-a-half hours ago,” added Zverev. “But now I’m going to go to Cincinnati. I’ll do everything I can to prepare myself there and play well there. But as I said, I didn’t feel the ball at all. I didn’t play well. So a lot of it didn’t depend on me.”

Tsitsipas has now won three straight matches over Top 10 players. And having been ranked outside the Top 160 a year ago, he’ll be in the Top 20 come Monday.

“Achieving such things makes me feel nice,” said Tsitsipas. “I’m very proud of who I am and at this age to have these kind of results, which I never expected. I always thought it’s going to take more years for this to happen. But with the hard work that I’ve been doing, it’s no surprise to me. I believe I have the game to compete against these players. I’m feeling very confident.”

So will he make it a fourth? Up next is Anderson who he beat in Estoril.

“A very tough opponent to face on hard courts,” he said of Anderson. “He has a huge serve. He can be really dangerous. He’s attacking a lot and takes the ball early. So again, I’m walking into with low expectations. I know he’s the favorite again.

“I’m going to try to remain calm. I know he’s going to ace a lot tomorrow. He’s going to be put pressure with his serve and his returns. So I’m ready for that and it’s going to be a tough match… It’s an opportunity to do again well in this tournament, even better. I’m going to try to use my chances as much as I can.”

I was lucky to be at the tournament yesterday. When Zverev went up 4-1 in the second, we headed over to doubles to watch Bryan/Sock and then Djoker/Anderson. I was shocked that Tsitsipas won! But it was really fun to see the doubles from the second row.

@BBB,
Awesome you were there. Second row, Nole, nice.👍
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Rafa has adapted well to the HC this yesr, shortening his stroke when needed. Cilic: goes mental when as usual when needed. Looking forward to todays matches.

Thanks skeezer! I was disappointed he lost in the singles, but it was fun to be so close for the dubs. I kept waiting for Anderson to cancel, but he didn’t, he’s a mensch. Djoker didn’t play well. Still, great to see Anderson’s serve and Djoker’s return up close.

Plus Aperol spritzes.

I get the feeling Zverev is a bit full of himself at the moment, not just these remarks but the split with Ferrero. Let’s hope he’s just young and pulls it together.

“The Greek. Anybody else think he plays a bit like Dolgopolov with his weird racket follow-through?”

No. Not that extreme. It’s even less extreme than Rafa’s.
Dolgo has also that weird toss. He’s weird, period.

The thing with Stefanos is that he looks like playing straight-standing. Like he’s not bending his knees (especially on his FH). Sort of like Kyrgios on the BH side. That’s bad mechanics or extreme talent, you decide.

BTW, He can place his forehand like he was pusing it with his hands instead of the racquet: anywhere on the court. And with margin. It’s not the toughest or hardest. But it might be the most versatile.

Anderson might be, along with Rafa, the most consistent player of the year thus far. I don’t think this will be easy for the Greek. He still have problems with a kick serve to the body, like any one hander. He might exploit that.

I found them extremely look-alike, Willow. Guga played a little bit flatter and had better BH. But the way he waits for the serve (standing) The casualness of his shots, the intangibles. He cam be creative. Like a recreational player playing the tour.

Ok. Tsisipas just beaten 3 current top 10 and he is 1 set away of beating a fourth.
Can he beat 5 with Nadal almost assure in finals? That could be the greatest Masters run ever? Although Djojo 2007 Montreal beating Top 3 (Fedal included) was the top for me

Damm the boy has nerves of steel. 2 back to back matches saving MP. 4 straight top 10 victories and fimm1st Masters final.

Too bad for him Nadal is no Zverev nor Anderson. The only positive is Nadal played 2 long matches, may play another tonight and will have less recovery time for tomorrow, as final is 5 pm, so Nadal has less than 20 hours for tomorrows final

My goodness Anderson is a much revived player this year with loads of grit and this Sit&Sip who just turned 20 years of age managed to beat him – what next? Will he do a Thiem? a Grigor?
Or fade a bit like Sasha?

If i’m not wrong,i think a year or so ago,someone said[i think it’s WB,if i am wrong, i am so sorry WB] that ‘something'[maybe his arrogance] in Sascha that he don’t like..At that time,i still want to give Sascha a chance..But,after read what sascha said in his presser yesterday..oh boy!WB was absolutely right!!…

I think Sascha should take some humbleness from Novak/Rafa when they lose…Novak even gave a credit to Tsitsi & said he deserved to win..And Novak is one of the GOAT…

I think 10:30 pm local time.
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I don’t know who runs these tournaments. Must be ducks and giraffes. There must be no tennis played beyond mid night when there the winner has to play the next day. Some so-called geniuses don’t get it.

Daniel 6:02pm…Yeah!…I understand whatchu mean…But i think Tsitsi’s condition is no better than Rafa imo…I mean,he’s already played at Washington last week & reached semis there..Here he played the last 3 matches[all with tough matches & opponents] in 3 setters too…[Oh!Don’t forget about the possible mental drain after the huge win over 3 Top Tenners too]…

But Rafa only play this week,only lost 1 set to Cilic…Err..do u forget how Rafa had to play 2 days in a row against DelPo at Wimby for 4hrs 47 minutes & also had to play Nole also for 2 days in a row for 5 hrs 15 minutes[on grass,his weakest surface]…So,i don’t think Rafa’s fitness is something that we need to worry that much imo…

So,i don’t think Rafa’s fitness is something that we need to worry that much imo
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Xisca nods her head in agreement and says people don’t know about my other exploits outside the tennis court that also need energy.

You know the quality of the tournament based on the quality of its sponsors. This tournament is sponsored by some toilet paper company.

Tennis administrators need to consider increasing the space behind the baseline for me to move. I am running into some random people standing at the back (not sure what they do, but they interfere with my tennis).

I don’t think most of you guys are classical music fans, but surely most people know the Sabre Dance number. Well the composer, Aram Khachaturian, had a son named Karen, also a composer. Then there was John Wayne, as butch as they come, whose real middle name was Marian.

It’s never a good idea to laugh at foreign names. For all you know, your own name might be the Inuit for “Walrus Dung”, and would make a native Inuit collapse with laughter!